The Group MD of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Dr. Tony Elumelu, was voted African Banker of the Year 2008 at The African Banker Awards 2008 recently held in Washington, D.C

At the same event, Nigeria’s Intercontinental Bank was chosen as African Bank of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement award was presented to one of the pioneers of African banking, Otunba Dr. Michael Balogun, the founder of the First City Merchant Bank (FCMB) Nigeria.

This year’s event, hosted by the London-based IC Publications Ltd, publishers of African Banker magazine, was held on the eve of the World Bank’s critical global discussions on the state of the world’s financial systems.

In a statement at the event, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, stated that recent developments in the global financial system have not affected African banks adversely and no African bank has either collapsed or suffered as a result of the crisis, thus “for once we can say the world can learn from Africa.”

Well, thanks to root-and-branch reforms and tight regulatory regimes, Africa’s banking sector has grown by over 28% over the past year and continues to grow despite the global financial crisis.

A total of 17 awards were presented at the grand ceremony, which was endorsed by the World Bank and supported by the Corporate Council on Africa and African Development Bank. Sponsors included the Renaissance Group, 3i Infotech, Ecobank, Virgin Nigeria Airways and the Bank of Industry Nigeria.

See the full list of awards and awardees below:

Microfinance Bank of the Year - Equity Bank, Kenya

Deal of the Year - Standard Bank, South Africa

Best Issuing House - Stanbic IBTC, South Africa

Mortgage Bank of the Year - Banque de l’Habitat, Tunisia

Award for Gender Sensitivity - Nedbank, South Africa

Banking Regulator of the Year - Clive Pillay, South Africa Ombudsman

Lifetime Achievement Award - Otunba Dr Michael Balogun, First City Merchant Bank (FCMB) Nigeria

Best Development Bank in Africa - Development Bank of Southern Africa

Investment Fund/Private Equity Fund of the Year - ECP Africa Fund

Most Innovative Bank - Ecobank Transnational

Investment Bank of the Year - Renaissance Capital

Socially Responsible Bank of the Year - Fidelity Bank Nigeria

Best Global Bank in Africa - Zenith Bank Nigeria

Central Bank Governor of the Year - Paul Acquah of Ghana

Finance Minister of the Year - Goodall Gondwei, Finance Minister, Malawi

African Banker of the Year - Dr. Tony Elumelu, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Nigeria

(Dr. Cecilia Ibru, MD of Oceanic Bank Nigeria was the winner of the 2007 Banker of the Year Award)

African Bank of the Year - Intercontinental Bank Plc Nigeria

In addition to winning the African Bank of the Year 2008, Intercontinental Bank Plc  was also named the “2008 Financial Brand of the Year” by the World Bank/IMF Annual Meeting Daily.

Christian Udechukwu, Managing Director, BusinessinAfrica Events announced that the Third African Banker Awards will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, to coincide with the IMF/World Bank Annual meeting next year.

Via: Africasia